the government says hurricane sandy had only a minimal effect on the numbers. >> you are watching c-span2 with politics and public affairs. weekdays feature live coverage of the u.s. senate. on weeknights watch key public policy events. every weekend, the latest nonfiction authors and books on booktv. you can see past programs and their schedules at our website. you can join in the conversation on social media sites. >> singer-songwriter james taylor will be at the national press club here in washington today. .. words are key to our imagination, our capacity to envision things. we ourselves are not completely tied to the print on the page synthesis of writing, but i think that there is no other art form so readily accessible other than perhaps film, which we work with too. but, it is something -- there is something in literature that just captures the human spirit. >> obama administration is imposing sanctions on someone islamist groups until this top leaders. the state department and treasury blacklisted the movement for unity and jihad west africa today especially designated foreign te